PHOTO: Painting Malcolm Smith’s door

Another senator in trouble, another exposing of the sticky tape behind the placard of their offices.

As we noted last September, when you see the sticky tape, it typically means a lawmaker is in trouble. They’ve been stripped of their committee assignment—or their job—and all that remains is the tape where the placard once hung.

So here’s the one from Sen. Malcolm Smith’s office today, the removal of what appears to be several placards outside his office.

He is vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, chairman of the Independent Democratic Conference and chairman of the Senate Social Service Committee. He was stripped of those titles today.

In a twist, though, paint cans were set up this afternoon as it appears that staff is set to quickly paint over the bearing of the sticky tape—as if nothing ever happened.